A Novel Approach to Protein Analysis in Hard Tissues

Abstract

This preliminary study is aimed at a new approach in the protein analysis of hard tissues. Analytical methods that have been used for the identification of proteins in bones and teeth always require one critical step – demineralization. This chemical treatment is responsible for loss of proteins and it also negatively influences the possibility of protein quantification. The method of peptide mass mapping described in this paper facilitates a gentle releasing of peptides from the hard tissues without the loss of qualitative and quantitative information. Using this method led to identification of proteins from chicken thighbone, human jawbone and teeth, which proves the feasibility of this method.